


Pink Lemonade

by hanakj



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Bisexual Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir, Bisexual Luka Couffaine, Bisexual Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Chloenette, Chloé Bourgeois Redemption, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/F, Getting Together, Good Chloé Bourgeois, Guardian Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Lesbian Chloé Bourgeois, Lila Rossi Bashing, Lila Rossi Lies, Lila Rossi's Lies Are Exposed, Lila salt, Marinette Dupain-Cheng Needs a Hug, Physical Abuse, Post-Episode: s03 Miracle Queen (The Battle of the Miraculous Part 2), Tutoring, chlonette, lukadrien, pink lemonade - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-24
Updated: 2020-03-23
Packaged: 2021-02-25 21:40:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,441
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21932356
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hanakj/pseuds/hanakj
Summary: Marinette has a lot on her plate after being handed Guardianship of the MiraculousesIt’s a lot of help when your former enemy becomes your friend, but not so much when she becomes your crush.[A Chloenette fic/post miracle queen]
Relationships: Chloé Bourgeois/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Comments: 36
Kudos: 347





	1. prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Excuse my bad formatting lol i write on my phone and post on my phone .-.

Marinette Dupain-Cheng, for once, was not glad for the time of peace. Ever since she became the new Guardian, Hawkmoth had seemingly gone on a vacation. She would kill for a distraction. 

There was so many things to think about... Almost every previous miraculous holder was revealed. Either she’d need to shuffle the miraculous around or find new people entirely. She also considered having the users change their hero forms and reintroduce as another hero, but now that seemed like too much work. Plus, the fact that she now had almost no idea of any Kwami history or care stressed her even more than the identity reveal fiasco... what would happen if one were to get sick? With Fu long gone and without memories, it wasn’t like she was able to ask for help. On top of all that, she’d likely need to know any new Kwami holder identities for she gave them out again... Which meant she needed to know who Chat Noir was. 

It would be unfair, of course. Marinette did not want to reveal herself as Ladybug, but if she knew Chat’s identity... Both wouldn’t trust the other; Chat would want to unmask Ladybug, and Ladybug would be able to hold Chat Noir’s civilian identity over anything. 

And if Hawkmoth got to either in battle, there would be severe consequences to that. 

But then again, Chat Noir was her best friend. She knew she could trust him, and it would be good to know someone that shared her same exact struggles as her... It’s not like Fu was around to take their miraculouses either—  she was the guardian and  she made the rules now. 

If things couldn’t get any worse, the knowledge that she’d lose her memory from the day she got her Miraculous to the day she’d relinquish the miracle box hung over her, like a melting icicle. It made her cold. 

She rolled over in bed. The past day she stayed home ‘sick’. Mostly due to the reason that she’d face Adrien and Chloe. 

Adrien was one of her closest friends. And things were... complicated. She was given the chance to be with him, or at least a chance to have a chance. But Kagami was beautiful, strong, and smart. She was courageous and didn’t stumble over her words and shoelaces when around the blonde. Marinette chose for both of her friends to be happy, even if it hurt. 

Then, there was Luka. She sighed. He made her feel right. Secure, loved, safe, even if he didn’t know everything about her, she knew the guitarist would be able to make her feel better. The thought of him sent tiny butterflies in her stomach. 

It had been a long week. Marinette pulled at her bed covers, sniffling. Tikki flew under the blanket, curling close to Marinette. 

It would be okay, as long as she kept telling herself that. 

🐞🐞🐞

It was the middle of summer break, a cool August night. Marinette lounged on the Couffaine’s houseboy deck, Luka sitting against a wall with her. The boy was playing and singing to his girlfriend, Marinette listening, letting her eyes and thoughts close as she listened to the music. It was a perfect day, until the familiar akuma chime rang. 

“I’ve got to get going, maman and papa don’t like it when I stay out during akumas,” She lied smoothly. Luka offered to take her home but she insisted she’d be fine. He let her, knowing how stubborn Marinette was. The additional reassurance of having two superheroes in the streets certainly helped. She gave her boyfriend a chaste kiss on the cheek, before waving off and running. 

Marinette found a quick place to transform, and before he knew it, Chat Noir was joined by Ladybug. “M’lady,” he greeted jokingly. She rolled her eyes, letting a little laugh slip. “What do we have here today, kitty?” 

“Glad you asked.” She raised an eyebrow at the tomcat. “I’ve got no idea.” 

She sighed. “Real helpful Chaton.” He made a playful whine. “Hey, I just arrived too!” She placed a hand on his shoulder. “Joking,” It was soft, and genuine. Chat Noir always felt easier when his lady acknowledged and cared for his feelings. 

“Let’s go CATch an ak–“

“I’m gonna cut you off there.” Ladybug rolled her eyes playfully. 

“Let’s go che–” 

“–CATch the akuma!” 

_ Groan.  _

As they swung and vaulted through the city of Paris, they saw people who were lying in the floor. They were sleeping, but withered and thrashed on the ground violently. Some screamed, some cried. “What’s wrong with them?” She asked horrified, dropping down besides one. Chat lowered down on his baton, looking at another victim. 

“Night terrors,” he said grimly. “I assume.” They nodded and went to go find the source of all this. 

“This is sandboy all over again,” he whispered to himself. The bug gave her partner a squeeze.“C’mon, let’s end this nightmare.” She smirked as he gave a assured chuckle from her rare pun. 

At the akuma hotspot, which was of course, none other than the Eiffel Tower, was the akumatized villain. She doused in black and white, with mascara that seemed to be stained on her cheeks, from tears running down them. Her hair floated, spread in a halo around her. The dress that the girl wore was like looking through a kaleidoscope. 

“There,” Chat said, pointing at the ring on her hand. a they nodded and Ladybug looked around. 

They tried to get the akumatized into a corner or

box of some sort, to give the spotted superhero time to figure out a plan once she called lucky charm, but it was difficult. Chat noir had already used cataclysm, and was hiding in the bathrooms of a nearby hair salon to recharge Plagg. Marinette knelt behind a car, waiting for her partner to return. 

“Move!” A blur of yellow darted in front of Ladybug, who still crouched behind the flipped truck. 

It took her a hot moment to realize who spoke and what had happened. Instinct led her to a safer spot, away from where whoever had just shielded her; as soon as she heard the screams began, she couldn’t help but to turn towards them. 

Twisting and crying out on the floor in a dreadful slumber, was none other than Chloe Bourgeois. 

The realization hit her like a truck, standing frozen. Did... Did Chloe Bourgeois just save Ladybug? The very heroine she betrayed and swore never to look up to again?

“We’ve got no time m’lady!”Chat scooped her up and vaulted away on the baton, leaving Marinette staring at her classmate, who no longer than half a year ago, betrayed her and sided with Hawkmoth.Chat landed on a rooftop and smiled sadly at his lady, as if he knew what was running through her head. 

“Let’s kick ass and take names, and then you can go thank Chloe, okay?” She nodded and took her yo-yo out. “Let’s do this.”

🐞🐞🐞

The first bell of the new year alerted Marinette that her habit of being tardy to class was still alive and well. She hurried into the classroom, only to be notified by Mlle. Bustier that the teen was no longer in the roster for her class, and rather was transferred to Mlle. Mendeleiev’s class. 

She sighed and sulked across the walkways to the class next door. Mendeleiev gave her an irked look, for being so late to class on the first day ofher first year in Lycèe. 

Marinette scanend the room for an open seat. Turned out half the class was transferred out of Mlle. Bustier’s class. Currently Max and Kim sat together, Kim looking confused at the synopsis papers— max trying time explain why a synopsis packet of the class should

not be that confusing, and they logically, he must have hit his head on the side of the pool again. Chloe sat besides Juleka, both minding their own business. The only open seat was besides Lila. She sucked in an annoyed sigh and slid onto the bench besides the liar. 

“Achoo! Sorry, Mlle. Mendeleiev could Juleka switch with Marinette? I think my asthma and allergies are acting up.” She turned to Marinette, giving a sad smile. “I think whatever you used to wash your hair with this morning is triggering it. I really wish we could sit together!” She looked on the bring of tears. 

Marinette shrugged, actually glad to switch. Yet once she sat down, she realized who she now sat besides. 

The familiar cardigan and smell of perfume sent her back to that one August night. 

🐞🐞🐞

“Thank you.” Marinette laced her fingers together, smiling. The blonde looked at her. Of course, not civilian her, but Ladybug. 

“Uhm... It’s whatever! Common courtesy and what not...” She flicked her ponytail and folded her arms. 

“Still, you knew what the akuma was doing to others, and yet you faced what you feared most— even if not real —and took the akuma’s shot. For me.” Ladybug smiled. A lot could change in a few months, it seems. “You were... my hero today.” Chloe turned bright pink. 

“Ah... Um well I guess I’ve been trying to become a better person... I’m really sorry you know.” The mayor’s daughter looked down and away, ashamed. “For betraying you. For siding with...” She didn’t finish the sentence, as they both knew who she was talking about. 

“I can forgive Chloe, but I can’t forget. I... I want to give you a second chance at being a miraculous holder, but I can’t trust you right now.” Chloe just nodded and blinked away the tears. “I understand. But if you need anything... Any help, civilian or not, you can count on me!” A teary smile. Marinette hugged the girl. Maybe she would become a better person, but all she could do was wait and see. 

🐞🐞🐞

“Marinette!” She bolted out of her memories. “If you cannot stay awake and alert in class, maybe I shall send you to the principal’s office. Walking may help you wake up again.” Her face flushed pink, sensing Chloe besides her trying to stifle a laugh, along with half the class. 

“S-sorry!” Marinette stammered, red in the face. The lecture continued. 

Although simple, Marinette couldn’t have noticed how chloe had changed since that August night... Usually Chloe would have tried to get her sent to the principals office, rather than trying to stop a giggle. And there was that too, she usually would have full blown laughed at her, not tried to hide it. The thought made her smile. 

Who had gotten through to her? Marinette reminded herself to thank Adrien later. Maybe they could be friends. 

🐞🐞🐞

And the next few months continued on. Adrien became busier than ever, Nino had gotten famous on youtube, Alya got a internship under Nadia Chamack. Their little friend group was suffering under the conflicting schedules, but they found time to hang out together and had ways to talk often. 

The bakery was going well, and sometimes got busy, due to the fact a certain Chat Noir had gone to buy some themed cookies of himself there. 

Finally having opened an online store to take commissions, Marinette really  was busier than ever. Starting Lycèe, helping in the bakery, her fashion business, Ladybug patrols, emergency akuma fights, and the weight of being the guardian definitely took all her time and energy. In Marinette’s free time, Tikki and her chosen poured over history books and the miraculous book (photographed on a previously-belonged-to-Master-Fu iPad), talked to the other kwami, trying to piece together what Fu should have trained her for. She was so exhausted. 

In early October, she’d ended things with Luka. Her life was too busy, and she didn’t want to string him along with her without being able to love or give him affection. Luka was cool and he understood. They became good friends. Not too close to Christmas, a certain blonde had caught Luka’s eye... Marinette always joked that her two exes broke up with her to date each other. (Not getting into the fact Marinette and Adrien didn’t date, but they agreed the whole “just a friend” business was code for “girlfriend” and they had been dating... without either knowing they were. If you talked to Alya, she even claimed that they’d kissed, “just as friends”.) 

Unfortunately, over the months, Lila’s harassment only got worse. Adrien’s threat meant nothing to her, knowing she had his father wrapped around her finger. Alya and Nino eventually realized the truth, and tried to keep Lila away from Marinette. They all agreed exposing her was too risky, especially with her susceptibility to being akumatized. 

However, as they were both transferred into a new class together, and the Marinette Protection Squad became busy, Lila’s threats and harassment became worse. 

Marinette was free from the demon during the summer, but when school started up, Lila made sure to single the blunette out, to try and frame her for anything wrong, to gaslight the class into thinking that Marinette was troubled, that she was selfish, that she had gone as far to hurt the liar. 

In truth, it was opposite. Marinette found herself tripped in hallways, water spilled on her sketchbook multiple times, kicked in the face by a football. 

The worst though, was always when Lila managed to corner Marinette in the bathrooms alone. The words the Italian girl spoke to her always haunted her, the way she sent such violent threats her way with a sweet smile. Marinette started to get questions of “Where’d those fingernail marks come from? How’d you get those bruises?” She’s even been approached by the school councilor when someone anonymously tipped that Marinette had fingertip-shaped bruises dotting her neck. 

She learned to be quiet and take it. Tikki always pleaded with her friend to stop Lila, but the threats were true. Marinette knew if she turned her in Lila would flip the photo and make herself the victim, or if she tried to get her friends to believe her, she’d make sure Alya lost her internship, or that Nino’s original music would “unfortunately” be leaked as stolen. Lila threatened to get Luka in trouble with the law—who would believe a tattooed punk boy over a sweet charitable girl? 

So there was that too. 

But even more surprising, was the small alliance Chloe and Marinette had formed. They worked grudgingly on projects, Chloe stood up to Lila sometimes, Marinette giving the other excuses to use when she had to leave to find Sabrina. It was bizarre, and nothing more than being classmates instead of predator and prey. 

So what came next really shouldn’t have been all that surprising. 


	2. calc - chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> get in loser we’re going to fix your calc grade

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tw for abuse/physical hurt, it’s liela being a shitty ass person dw her ass will be handed to her in time...
> 
> also it’s super short sorry

Marinette was grumbling and biting her lip, frustratedly scribbling hard and destroying her eraser, working on the calculus problem from her textbook. 

“Need help, Marinette?” The question was sung teasingly, but Marinette answered frankly. 

“Yeah. Ugh, I hate calculus. Math was a mistake.” Chloe raised her eyebrow as she shifted her body towards her left, where Mari was struggling. 

“Thought you’d like math, considering you design your own shit.” It wasn’t said in an aggressive or mean way, but rather a genuine wonder. “It’s a necessary evil.” She joked, half in all seriousness. 

“Well, shove over. Let me help you.” Chloe slid next to Marinette. They were so close, Mari could hear her gentle breaths, the way her eyes flickered across the paper, and the way their shoulders bumped. 

“I didn’t know you were a lefty,” Mari blurted out loud. “Actually, ambidextrous.” Chloe smirked, and Marinette felt like she was back in her second year, with the mayor’s daughter’s boastful pride and attitude sending her there. 

“Hey idiot, did you even hear me?” 

“Huh?” Chloe rolled her eyes. “I just explained the whole problem step by step, and you heard none of it?” Marinette’s face flushed tomato-red with embarrassment. 

“A-ah, s-sorry!” She said. Why was she so nervous around her now?

“Whatever. Then I guess I’ll have to let you come over to my place so I can tutor your helpless ass.” Marinette stared confusedly. “Come over, so I can teach you calculus.” Chloe said it slowly, as if talking to a baby or helpless toddler, which, was likely how Chloe saw her (at least, thats what Marinette assumed.) 

“Y-yeah! Um, sure. I guess uh... Here.” Marinette grabbed a sticky note and sharpie, writing her number down real quick. “Text me the adress and time?” Chloe rolled her eyes. “Duh.”

🐞🐞🐞

Marinette stood outside the school, under a covered area. It was raining and mostly everyone had left. She’d forgotten an umbrella at home, so she stood outside, just under the building’s overhang while waiting for her dad to come pick her up. The freckled girl had thought that she was the last to leave, but was proven wrong when a door almost smacked her in the face, her arms the only thing protecting it. “Aaah!” She yelped, and when she removed her hands that obstructed her view, was Lila. 

“Oh my god! I am so so so sorry Marinette!” Lila cried out, her words dripping with fake sympathy. “Are you okay?!” 

“Peachy.” Marinette huffed. She decided her dad wouldn’t be here soon, with Paris rush our traffic and the rain, so she sat on a step. 

Lila sat next to her. “Listen,” the Italiana said in a falsely friendly voice that felt like venom to Mari. It caused panic to seize her chest when she heard Lila’s tone. 

“I don’t know how you managed to get Chloe to be nice to you. I said you’d have no one besides you, and I’ll make sure Chloe leaves you in the dust too. Just. Like. Everyone. Else.” Lila had placed her hand on top of Mari’s arm, digging her nails into the soft skin of the blue eyed girl. Lila saw her car pull up, and she released her prey and smiled. “See you tomorrow Marinette!” 

Once certain the car pulled away and out of sight, she rubbed her arm where Lila’s tight grip was sure to leave a mark. Marinette promptly broke down into tears. She was sick of Lila’s manipulation, lies, and abuse. She wiped her eyes before tears could fall. 

Anyways, where was her papa? She checked the phone. There was a text from her dad, that read: 

Papa: Mari, I’m so sorry but traffic is super backed up right now. I decided to turn back because it was too slippery and dangerous out also. 

Papa: Can you try to hail a cab? Or go to a friends house or a cafe until it clears up?

Mari groaned in frustration. She texted back and then set off to walk to Alya’s. 

Ever since she was switched out of their original class, Alyaand Marinette were rarely able to spend time together. Starting lycèe, they both had mountains of homework, and when either had free time, they were on patrol (hanging with Rena Rouge was awesome, but she missed hanging with Alya.) Now would be the perfect time to go and hang out while she waited for the storm to clear. 

As she started down the road, she realized how cold and rainy it was, and with the wind, it made it worse. Walking often helped Marinette with her thoughts; taking walks helped the creative design process. Rather than thinking of her latest design project, her mind strayed to Chloe. How she was being nice to her recently. 

Maybe Adrien finally got through to her. Maybe it was her, as Ladybug. After the events that happened a few years ago with the guardian of the miraculous role passed to her, and Chloe’s betrayal, much had changed. Chloe became a better person outside of the hero suit, at least, to her classmates. While she was still a little rude, she was no longer a bully. It was a major improvement. 

She was long lost in the memory of that August night– she seemed to be more than usual. Blinking out of the memory, Marinette felt a flush creep to her face. Was she getting sick? She shivered when a car pulled over next to her. 

The window rolled down, and Chloe Bourgeois peered out the window. 

🐞🐞🐞

After catching her classmate in the rain, the mayor’s daughter took her to the hotel, allowed her to shower up and get some clean clothes. Now Marinette was currently wearing a pair of Chloe’s shorts and a Kitty Section shirt. Marinette insisted on keeping her under garments on. Chloe shrugged, finding something warm for Marinette to wear over the tee. She’d gotten Jean to bring up some hot cocoas. 

“God, were you  trying to get hypothermia?” Chloe scoffed,as she handed Marinette a sweatshirt and the mug. She sat across the bed from Marinette, with her own cocoa, in some black athletic lounge shorts, and a yellow fluffy cardigan, with a plain white tee shirt. 

Marinette’s cheeks turned pink unknowingly to her. She looked cuter when she wasn’t wearing excessive amounts of Prada and Louis Vuitton, and a pound of makeup. Don’t get Mari wrong, she was still really pretty (although she’d never admit it) even when all dolled up, but there was something authentic and soft in this version of Chloe. It reminded her of that one memory that echoed in her head since that day. 

“Uh, earth to Dupain-Cheng?” Chloe said teasingly, saving her hand in front of the mentioned. Chloe quirked her eyebrow up, waiting, for Marinette to respond. 

“Ah, sorry. I was walking to Alya’s since my dad couldn’t drive in the storm. Her house was closer than just walking home...” She looked in the cocoa. 

“Don’t worry, I didn’t poison it.” The blonde snickered, taking a sip of her own cocoa. Thunder tumbled outside. Marinette gave a light laugh and drank some of it, before setting it on the side table to 

pull the sweatshirt over her head. 

It was soft and fluffyon the inside and outside. It smelled like Chloe. Marinette, being significantly shorter than her classmate, felt like she was drowning in the soft black fabric.

🐞🐞🐞

The two girls seemed like polar opposites, as perhaps they were. Chloe was snarky, sour. She was rich and grew up in the absence of usually one parent, sometimes both. She had been a bully in the past. She was a previous miraculous holder, who betrayed the hero’s of paris once. 

Marinette was sweet and kind. She grew up in a modest household with bakers as parents who made time for their daughter. She was the “everyday ladybug” as well as the real one. 

Two girls, so different, but they did say opposites react. Lemons and strawberries. Sour and sweet. Chloe and Marinette. 

🐞🐞🐞

“I didn’t know you liked Kitty Section,” Marinette offered, in an attempt to make a conversation. 

“Oh yeah.. Uh, one of the members of the band is kind of cool... Also the music  is good.” The last statement sounded reluctant to admit.  _ It’s okay to like things, Chloe. _ Marinette was now  very invested in this. 

“Oh? Who do you like? Luka?” Around the same time Chloe started to change for the better, she had stopped trying to pursue Adrien all of a sudden. Was the blue haired boy the reason? 

“Hah. Ew, no.” Ah, there was the Chloe she knew. Marinette rolled her eyes. 

“If you like him, go for it. I’m not one of those girls who don’t let anyone date their ex.” 

She scoffed. “Marinette.” 

“Yeah?” 

“I don’t like boys.” Oh.  _ Oh _ . **_OH_**. Marinette panicked inside. Why? She wasn’t quite sure. 

Chloe narrowed her eyes in suspicion to the disaster of facial expressions Marinette was giving. “You aren’t going to be a bitch about it, are you?” The words held an angry tone, but the bluenette couldn’t help but to notice a pinch of pain hidden behind them. 

“What? Oh god no. I’m Bisexual.” Mari blurted. She turned red, curling up. That was  so stupid. 

Chloe snickers. “Okay.” The word held an overwhelming amount of relief, despite her obvious attempts to hide it. 

“Just uh... Nice to meet another sapphic in Paris?” She cringed at the faces the was making before. Chloe realized that all of this was just regular Marinette. 

Speaking of Miss Everyday-Ladybug, she glanced at her phone, waiting for her dad to text her that he was outside. Rather, the text she received was quite the opposite.

“Ah... My parents say the storm outside is too bad, it’s flooding near the bakery... C-could I stay the night? I can pay for a hotel room.”

Chloe rolls her eyes. “Don’t be so ridiculous Marinette. You don’t need to pay, plus I doubt you have the money with you. Just stay here.” A nod. Marinette ignored the money comment. “It’s not too late yet so I’ll order some food and we can work on your horrid calc grade.”

🐞🐞🐞

The two were kneeling on the floor by a low table, using the TV. Lack of attention to it turned the show that played into background noise. They were surrounded by Chinese takeout and their calculus books. “Why did I even take calc this year?” Marinette grumbled. “And how are you so good at it?” 

The blonde stretched her legs out. “I enjoy math.” 

“No you don’t.”

“Is the possibility that me, Chloe Bourgeois, can excel and enjoy calculus, so wild for your numbskull to grasp?” It was a friendly tease, Chloe leaned in close, pressing a manicured finger to the freckles girl’s nose. 

_ Did... Did Chloe just boop my nose?  _

Both of them seemed to have the thought. Chloe coughed awkwardly and Marinette turned to the book. Homework it was, then. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> changed my tumblr it’s @maribvgs


	3. snow - chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> alya doesn’t know what to think   
> mini time skip and study buddies  
> lending clothes once again - snow edition

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for not updating for 3 months LOL

Alya Césaire is losing her mind. Never in a thousand years would she expect to see Marinette Dupain-Cheng, the girl she’s known since they were twelve, stepping out of Chloe Bourgeois’s expensive vintage yellow 1961 Ferrari. 

Especially not first thing in the morning. 

The cherry on top was the petite girl wearing Chloe’s clothes. 

Now Alya knew that school hadn’t allowed the two girls quality bff time, but surely if Marinette was going down on Chloe, her arch-rival since... forever, she would have told her, right? Right?

Marinette was chatting sleepily with a wide awake Chloe. The former was wearing her normal white converse, but was in some jeans that were rolled up (the blonde being slightly larger, Marinette had to make do with long pant legs), and a unfamiliar baggy yellow hoodie (definitely not marinette’s). The latter was wearing a cropped turtleneck sweater, paired with high waisted jeans that assured no skin or bellybutton was exposed to the dreary and cold weather from the night before. On top, she had a big and fluffy yellow cardigan, brown boots completing it all. 

It was a trip, honestly. Seeing Marinette in what looked like Chloe’s messy clothes, while Chloe arrived like a model. In the same car. In the early morning. WEARING THE OTHERS CLOTHES. (She wasn’t about to get over that for a week.)

Nino approaches her. “Hey dudette, you good?” 

Alya said nothing, turning her boyfriend’s head to look at what she and many others were googling about. Adrien arrived next to Nino, looking at the whole debacle of Chloe and Marinette, who were chatting as they walked. Ditching her boyfriend, Alya ran up to the two. 

“Hey, can I talk to Marinette real quick? Thanks!” Chloe was left blinking, the gears just turning to comprehend what Alya had asked. Before she could snip at the journalist, Marinette was already bring interrogated by Alya on a far off bench. Chloe sighed and pointed to the classroom, her new friend smiling in return. A nonverbal conversation of ‘i’ll be in the classroom’ and ‘okay, i’ll see you there.’ It was unspoken.Perhaps sitting next to each other in quiet collaboration for those few months of the year had given them some sort of resemblance of a friendship, before they even knew it. 

Over at the bench, Marinette focused back on Alya, who was practically shaking her. 

“Girl! I know we haven’t had time to hang out, but since when have you been hitting it with Chloe?” 

Now that got Marinette’s attention. She choked. 

“Sorry, what!?” A cackling laugher couldn’t help but to escape Alya’s lips as she saw her best friend red in the face. 

“Mari, we are high schoolers. Tell me you haven’t even thought about it”

“Ugh gross!” Mari rolled her eyes, playfully shoving the traitor. “I can’t believe you. All we did was hang out and study. I stayed over because I got caught up in the storm last night.” 

Alya’s jaw dropped. “Man, you had Chloe rescue you from the rain, help you with homework, and then slept in her clothes in the same bed?” Marinette opened her mouth to protest but it was futile as the other’s rant went on. “Marinette Dupain-Cheng, I want your cliche sapphic high school love story life.” Marinette didn’t know what to say. “You have a boyfriend.” 

“And?”

“And I-I’m not crushing on or ‘hitting it’ with Chloe!” Cackling erupted from Alya as her friend knew that this new laughter would stay with them for a while, as well as the conspiracy that former Head Bitch In Charge Chloe Bourgeois Is Banging Miss Class President Model Citizen Marinette Dupain-Cheng. 

“Sure girl, keep telling yourself that.” 

The school would talk about it for weeks. 

🐞🐞🐞

Winter break was approaching, quickly. It was only a week ago that Chloe and Marinette slept next to each other under the hotel roof’s protection from the storm that raged outside. 

It was only six days ago since Alya teased her bestie about sleeping with a cute girl (even if they really were just catching some Z’s.)

It was only five days ago when miraculously, everyone’s schedule became more lenient due to the holidays approaching. 

And it was only four days ago when her friends opened Chloe with open arms. 

🐞🐞🐞

“Hey, don’t worry.” Marinette grinned, as they approached the Couffaine’s houseboat. 

“I’m not worried. It’s not like I’m still a raging bitch, right?” Marinette snorted. 

“Not a raging one.” 

“Hey!” They bumped shoulders. 

🐞🐞🐞

Somehow each girl felt like they knew the other since forever (which they did, but as rivals and enemies.) Even though it was one week. 

Although, when you’re gay and touch starved for affection, it doesn’t take too long to get close. At least, that’s what Chloe believed. 

As for Marinette, she knew Chloe was kinder now. Still an ass, still with a stinging bite in her tone, but not vicious or toxic. And they undeniably grew closer in the past week, but Marinette knew it spanned back to the first day of the school year, when they both began lycèe. 

It was grudgingly at first. Neither wanted to talk, but they didn’t argue aside from twice, about the superior macaron flavor, and about who was right in history. They’d talk when necessary, otherwise keeping to themselves. 

Slowly Marinette began making small talk and compliments, Chloe, to her surprise, obliging. 

They then became civil in class and you could even argue friendly, after Chloe walked in on a crying Marinette in the bathrooms. 

That day, the purple and black butterfly flittered out the window. 

It was just a matter of becoming closer physically. Of taking effort and choice and energy into maintaining (and in this case, forming) a friendship that extended beyond pleasantries in the classroom. 

It was so easy. It felt as easy as when Marinette befriended Alya all those years back. 

Chloe suppressed the voice in the back of her head— the one that sounded like her mother —that told her it could not possibly be this easy. 

After all, nothing good lasted. 

🐞🐞🐞

It was three days before winter break, and her friends were huddled around a large table in the library, studying. 

Finals were in the next two days. First off, the studying was not productive for at least an hour. If you could even call it studying, when it was more like cramming. An argument was born, coming between Alya and Chloe (Alya claiming it’s studying Chloe debating on the side of cramming.) 

Poor Nino, rejected and abandoned by his foxy girlfriend, sadly hung out with the other lonely boy, none other than Adrien Agreste. (Marinette knows that those two got the most studying in.)

After an hour, Marinette managed to get Chloe and Alya on track. It was like wrangling a herd of drop bears. Did dropbears herd? 

She shook the thought. Meanwhile, Chloe finally settled besides the freckled girl, opening her statistics textbook on Marinette’s left side (as to be cautious not to knock arms when she was writing lefty.) Alya and her had a good round, but now having wasted an hour on the argument, it really now was a cramming session. Not that she’d ever purposely bring it up to stall studying for her french history final. 

But something was refreshing about having more friends. Having people who liked her for the authentic her, people who forgave her, people who held her accountable, people who didn’t mind arguing in a good fashion. 

Chloe was so lonely for so long. 

🐞🐞🐞

Adrien left early, for his piano lessons. Nino finished and saw a text from his mom; he had to make dinner for his younger brother. 

Alya– that peculiar girl –left soon after her boyfriend did. But that’s not what made her strange, it was the odd way she bent down to whisper in the mayor’s daughter’s ear: 

“Get some,” Paired with a gesture to the petite (and immensely strong) baker’s daughter. 

Chloes cheeks heated up red, opening her mouth to deny, but the journalist simply

just vanished. Oh well. It’s not like she liked Marinette or anything, pfft. Seriously. She was so not her type! The thing that puzzled her more was why was Alya so buddy-buddy with her, and so approving of Chloe “getting it on” with her best friend, when no more than a month ago, hated her guts? 

Focus Bourgeois, and finish your damn essay!

Now it was just Chloe and Marinette, alone together, in a library, on a Wednesday, at 11pm. Chloe finished her essay and turned to tell Marinette if she needed a ride home, only to see the girl passed out on an open textbook. Drool dripped down her chin and onto the book. Chloe cringed and shook her awake, to which pigtails jolted awake, falling out of her chair and smacking her head on the floor. 

“Augh!” Marinette groaned. The blonde rolled her eyes and stuck a hand out to pull up the girl. “You were slobbering all over your textbook,” Grabbing her hand, Mari was pulled up. “So you’re welcome for waking you up before you soaked the whole book.” As if! Marinette grumbled tiredly, shoving shit into her backpack not caring about any form of organization. 

Chloe faltered as she saw the other’s face and how she was handling her supplies. Was she pissed? “I’m sorry for pushing you on the floor,” She said. Apologies came easy and bitter to the girl nowadays. She knew that not apologizing risked her still fragile relationships, but found it hard to let go of her mother’s molding for so long. 

Marinette gave a tired smile. “Thanks. Not mad at you, just tired and grumpy,” She assured, yawning. Chloe nodded mutely, moving slowly to grab her items as well. 

Just thinking of her mom would send her into a spiral nowadays. She was so _lonely_ and so _mean_ for _so long_. It hurt to take responsibility. Chloe also knew she couldn’t blame years of hatred on another person, but it was painful to know the reason she was like _that_ was her mother. All it was, was a child wanting a mother’s love and approval. Yet, even if Chloe acted brattyor awful, her mother still condemned her. No positive reinforcement in her life and all bad examples. She couldnt grow up to be a pushover like her dad, so she had to grow up controlling and angry like her mom. 

Marinette shook Chloe’s arm. Where were they? 

“You were totally spaced out. You okay?” The blonde looked down at the girl who’s brows furrowed in concern. Then, looking up, Chloe realized the two of them were out in the hallways, not even have realized she was walking at all. 

“Uh, yeah.” Chloe snipped, defensively. _Don’t let others know you’re weak,_ a little voice in the back of her head muttered. _Don’t go back to your old ways,_ the other wisely advised. 

“-loe? Chloe!” Now they were sitting on a bench, Marinette crouching in front of her, holding a hand to her face. _Huh?_

“You’re feeling kind of hot. Are you sick?” As if on cue, the girl in question flushed deep red. 

“Ahem,” she cleaned her throat. Marinette stood as the other did. 

“Sorry, I think i’m overheating.” Wearing a long coat with a thick wool sweater under, complete with a scarf and hat, Marinette seemed to accept Chloe’s excuse. Nevertheless, the shorter one fretted. 

“Okay. Let’s go before you pass out then. It’ll be cooler once we get outside.” A beanie was yanked off of the blonde girl’s head, with a bit of tiptoeing. Marinette pulled the hat on her head. It was white and had the smallest red speckles in the yarn of it. 

“Hey! What are you do-“ Chloe grumbled, going to snatch it back, but Marinette laughed. It sounded like bells. The hat was slightly big so it covered her ears and was still loose on her head. 

“Mine now!” A tongue was stuck out, and the girls ended up running around in the snow chasing eachother. It was nearly midnight. 

Eventually, they both wore out. Marinette remained a victor with the stolen hat, and Chloe sat besides her actually overheating. She pulled her scarf off and pulled Marinette too close as she tried to loop it around her friend’s neck. 

It was quiet. The snow started falling, glistening. Flakes decorated Chloe’s hair, similar to the flakes that sat atop the eyelashes of Marinette. It felt like it would last forever. A photographable moment perhaps, but it would take away the frankness of the brief moment. Few cards could be heard and rustles of alley cats behind the school were distant. 

Alerted back to life with a small honk of a horn, Chloe pulled back and smiled. “Keep them, they look good.” She stood and jogged to the car, where her driver awaited. Marinette noticed her papa’s car behind so she stood too. 

What _was_ that?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OK life is kinda hectic and stuff even tho i’m not doing anything bc quarantine haha ANYWAY ig you have headcanons or little scenes u’d like to see in this comment then because i suck at plotting stories and need little filler moments so!! i’m open to suggestions :) also! check out my other ML fic (everyone is typing...) it’s a chat fic (mostly) and it’s got lila salt, adrienette , and one of my favorites: chlolix !! [insert more self promo and self 5 star reviews] 
> 
> don’t forget i take writing and or headcanon requests on my tumblr @maribvgs!!

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Comments and Kudos keep this fic moving! 
> 
> Want to talk about ML, pink lemonade au, chloenette, or other ML ships? visit my tumblr @  
> https://chlemonade.tumblr.com !


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